May3, 2011

Today, Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) will introduce the Pakistan Foreign Aid Accountability Act. This legislation will prohibit any foreign aid from being sent to Pakistan until it can demonstrate that it had no knowledge of Osama Bin Ladens whereabouts. This legislation would require the State Department to certify to Congress that Pakistan was not providing a sanctuary for the worlds most wanted terrorist.

Pakistan has a lot of explaining to do. It seems unimaginable that Osama Bin Laden was living 1,000 yards away from a military base in a million dollar mansion built especially for him and no one in the Pakistani government knew about it. I dont buy it, said Rep. Poe.

Congress has already appropriated $3 billion to Pakistan for this year. Unless the State Department can certify to Congress that Pakistan was not harboring Americas number one enemy, Pakistan should not receive one more cent of American aid. This is exactly why we need to reevaluate the foreign aid that we send to countries that do not have Americas best interest in mind.

In March, Congressman Poe introduced the Foreign Aid Accountability Act (H. Res 173), which would amend the rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the consideration of any bill or joint resolution that appropriates foreign assistance for more than one country. It would change the rules so that members of Congress vote on each countryone at a time.

Congressman Poe serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees. He is the vice chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations as well as the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade. Congressman Poe also serves on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.